In accordance with my earlier filed invention, I disclosed a simple arrangement of two plastic strips adhered, respectively to the upper and lower lips of the user, and interconnected by food intake inhibiting lines. In essence, that invention simulated the idea of sewing the user's lips together, but it did so in a manner which permitted relatively normal speech, plus limited food and liquid intake, and which was removable by the user at the user's will.
The present invention is a modification of my earlier invention. Instead of applying adhesive strips above and below the lips, and interconnecting the strips with a plurality of non-rigid food intake inhibiting line oriented generally transverse to the strips, the present invention utilizes pads which are adhered to the user's cheeks at the corners of his or her mouth. Arcuate food intake inhibiting bands connected to the pads are oriented from side to side, arching over the junction of the upper and lower lips, and out of contact with the lips.
The primary advantage of the present invention over my earlier invention is that normal speech and mouth movement are uninhibited, while the interposition of bands parallel to the junction of the lips provides a physical block which will inhibit the intake of food through the mouth. In addition, the new appliance provides enhanced comfort for the user, since the bands are out of contact with the user's lips, and the device is less conspicuous when worn.
The present invention uses small adhesive pads in the form of short strips, ovals or circles secured to the corners of the mouth to support horizontal bands which extend over and across the lips. The bands extending across the mouth opening have been found comfortable to wear, and serve as a positive reinforcement of the user's will power to control food intake.
There is a number of prior art patents in the field of diet control devices known to the inventor, but none is believed to utilize the inventive features disclosed and claimed in this application. Brown et al., International Application Publication No. WO 86/01706 shows a dental appliance worn in the mouth of the user for disrupting natural masticating and thereby inhibiting eating. Stubbs U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,224,442 and 3,818,906 show devices worn in the user's mouth, and which provide an inward tab that can be flipped back and forth by the tongue to stimulate saliva, and hence reduce the desire for food. The Stubbs and Brown devices differ from the present invention in that they are worn in the mouth and alter conditions in the user's mouth, whereas the present invention is worn outside of the mouth, and provides a simple block to the introduction of food.
Barmby, U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,424 show an external anti-eating face mask which provides a rigid screen over the wearer's mouth. Barmby's device differs from the present invention in that it comprises a rigid frame structure which totally blocks the intake of food. The present invention provides arcuate bands connected between pressure sensitive adhesive pads applied to the face.
There are several patents of relevance to pressure sensitive adhesive tape. Thomas U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,250 which shows pressure sensitive adhesive tape device for anchoring tubes to a patient's skin. Jefferies U.S. Pat. No. 1,354,652 shows an adhesive tape device applied to the lips to seal the user's mouth shut. Selix U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,564 shows a tube anchoring device which is adhered to a patients skin. None of these patents has any relevance to diet control devices.
Patterson Canadian Pat. No. 725,336 shows a hockey mouth guard secured across the mouth of a hockey player by connecting the protector to straps on the helmet. This patent does not show the idea of diet control, nor does it shown the suspension of arcuate bands from pressure sensitive adhesive pads applied to the cheeks of a user.